The present invention relates to an arcuate cradle element intended for use in osteosynthesis and osteoplasty. It relates additionally to an external fixation means in which the arcuate element is incorporated in use.
External fixation is a classical practice in surgery, dating back a century. Its application has long been limited to complicated fractures in traumatology and later in orthopedics, namely in secondary treatments of fractures, infections, delayed consolidation, pseudarthrosis, faulty reduction, etc. External fixation is addressed specifically to the long bones, such as the femur, the tibia, the humerus, the radias and the ulna, particularly those of the leg.
External fixation means for osteosynthesis admit of two kinds of bone fixation:
Transfixing, where the pins pass all the way through the bone; and
Non-transfixing, where the pins enter into the bone but do not pass through it.
The transfixing kind of fixation, most commonly used on the leg, is more rigid than the non-transfixing kind. On either side of the leg are mounted two bars or frames, upon which are fixed two sets of pins placed on either side of the fracture. The two frames, or two bars, are connected by as stable a framework as possible, which may comprise sliding bars or rods whose length may be increased or decreased, thus effecting an extension or a compression respectively.
Such an external fixation system is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,365,624, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. The arcuate element described in said patent has a polygonal, preferably triangular, cross-section. Such a section permits very quick assembly and disassembly and firm attachment of jaw brackets serving to hold the pins and the assembly rods.